UK airbase alert probe finds petrol, not explosives, in seized vehicles
British counter-terrorism police said no explosives were found in vans seized near the Fairford airbase used by US forces, only a quantity of petrol, after five men arrested over the weekend were released on bail. The unexplained decision drew criticism from Washington.
British authorities said Tuesday that a probe into a suspected bomb plot near RAF Fairford airbase in southwest England found no explosives in the vehicles seized during the alert, only a quantity of petrol.
Police were called to the base on Sunday after a local resident reported several vans behaving suspiciously, prompting the evacuation of a nearby village and the declaration of a "major incident." National Counter Terrorism Policing head Laurence Taylor confirmed that thorough examination of the vehicles turned up no improvised explosive devices.
The episode grew murkier after five London-based men in their twenties, arrested early Sunday on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences, were released on bail on Monday. The decision drew sharp criticism from Washington, with US President Donald Trump saying he was "surprised" by it and Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggesting a "foreign actor" might be involved. Taylor said the release was an investigative decision.
Fairford is used by US military aircraft to launch strikes on Iran and is the only base on Britain's mainland used for that purpose. Iran's embassy in London rejected speculation linking Tehran to the incident.
The latest findings lend weight to theories that the men could be fuel thieves amid rising UK energy prices. Still, the scare forced the evacuation of 85 homes in a nearby village, with many residents needing alternative accommodation for at least one night.
The alert began after a farmer in the nearby village of Whelford called police upon seeing three vans blocking a road and masked men fleeing the scene. Armed officers arrested the five suspects, all London residents.
Aerial footage showed the vans appeared to carry barrels, with one marked by a fake logo and phone number falsely suggesting a link to fuel delivery firm Fuel2U. The company said it had no connection to the vehicles or individuals involved and was cooperating with police.
Investigators have searched homes in London and hope to wind down operations by Wednesday. The five men remain under investigation subject to strict bail conditions.
